At approximately 09:00 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers, positioned at a military observation tower south of Deir El-Balah, fired at a Palestinian civilian car that was traveling from Khan Yunis towards Gaza City. The driver and an occupant were wounded as follows:1) Mohammed Salim El-Mbaydha, 30, from Rafah, wounded by shrapnel in the left foot; and2) Rashed ‘Abdel-Majid El-Bilbeisi, 48, from Rafah, wounded by a live bullet in the right foot. They were evacuated to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir El-Balah. In the afternoon, in a similar incident, Israeli occupation forces killed one Palestinian civilian and severely injured another as they were travelling in a taxi east of Deir El-Balah. According to PCHR’s investigations, at approximately 15:30 local time, a Palestinian taxi, a Hyundai, was on its way from Gaza City towards Khan Yunis.

Six passengers traveled in the taxi in addition to its driver. Since Salah El-Din Street (the main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip) has been closed by the Israeli occupation forces since the beginning of the Intifada, the driver, like other drivers, took a branch road to the east of “Kfar Darom” settlement. The road known as “Abu El-‘Ajin” is under Israeli security control. A roadblock and an observation tower are established on this road. The use of this road has been limited to Jewish settlers since the outbreak of Al-Aqsa Intifada. In his testimony to PCHR, a passenger in the said: “When we passed by an Israeli observation tower north of the greenhouses of “Kfar Darom” settlement, east of Deir El-Balah, I heard an Israeli soldier shouting in Hebrew, which I did not understand. The driver continued driving the taxi. Suddenly, I heard sounds of shooting. The driver immediately stopped the car and I lay down to have shelter.

The shooting continued. I heard cries coming from the back seat. Then, I saw the driver getting out of the car, shouting at Israeli soldiers to cease fire, but they ignored him. The driver drove the car east and then north towards a branch road leading to Al-Maghazi refugee camp. He stopped at a roadblock of the Palestinian National Security Forces.

I got out of the car and saw the holes live bullets made into the body of the car. With assistance by members of the Palestinian roadblock, we evacuated the two young men who were sitting on the back seat. They were injured. Two girls who were sitting on the middle seat were crying.” The two injured young men were evacuated in a Palestinian security car to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir El-Balah, and from there they were transferred to Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza City. They were:1) Mohammed Dhib Abu Shaqfa, 23, a university student from Khan Yunis, injured by a live bullet in the head that led to his death upon arrival at Shifa’ Hospital; and2) Mohammed Sa’id Abu ‘Abdu, 22, from Khan Yunis, injured by two live bullets in the abdomen and the left thigh. At approximately 18:00 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers, positioned near Salah El-Din Gate at the border with Egypt, opened fire on ‘Omar Ben Al-Khattab Street in Rafah. Two children were wounded as follows:1) Mohammed Khalil Abu Lebda, 10, wounded by a live bullet in the buttocks; and2) Rawhi Riadh El-‘Azzazi, 13, wounded by shrapnel in the chest.

At approximately 00:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned near Salah El-Din Gate at the border with Egypt, opened fire on Palestinian houses in Block “O” area in Rafah refugee camp. Three Palestinian young men were injured as follows:1) Anis Mohammed Nasser, injured by a live bullet in the left arm;2) Eyad ‘Ali Joudeh, 24, injured by shrapnel in the face; and3) Ahmed ‘Atteya El-‘Azzazi, 21, injured by shrapnel in the left arm. At approximately 06:15 local time, Israeli occupation forces opened fire on Palestinian farms in the east and north of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip. The gunfire lasted for half an hour. No casualties were reported. At approximately 07:30 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned the eastern border of the Gaza Strip east of Jablaya, opened fire from heavy machine guns on Palestinian farms east of Martyrs Cemetery. No casualties amongst Palestinian farmers were reported. At approximately 10:00 local time, two tanks of the Israeli occupation forces moved towards the coastal road linking between Gaza City and the southern Gaza Strip, west of “Netzarim” settlement, south of Gaza City. They closed the road and took position at a site of the Palestinian National Security Forces that had been demolished on the previous day. Approximately one hour later, the Israeli forces withdrew and reopened the road. On Tuesday morning, the Israeli occupation forces initiated an incursion into Jenin and its refugee camp, under full control of the Palestinian National Authority, described as the widest in the city since the outbreak of Al-Aqsa Intifada. Dozens of tanks and military vehicles of the Israeli occupation forces moved into the city, while tanks, combat helicopters and F-16 fighter jets intensively shelled it. Palestinian civilians, gunmen and security men confronted this wide incursion.

A number of Palestinians were killed or injured, while civilian and security facilities were severely damaged. Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with tanks and military vehicles, had strictly besieged Jenin and its refugee camp since Monday evening, September 10, 2001. On Tuesday, at approximately 02:40 local time, tanks moved into the south of the city and destroyed a roadblock of the Palestinian President’s Guard (Force 17), while intensively shelling Palestinian residential areas.

These forces thrust approximately 4km into areas under full control of the Palestinian National Authority and dug a wide trench into the street.

Other units of the Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with tanks, moved into the northwest of the city, after they had shelled a roadblock of the Palestinian National Security Forces at Jenin-Haifa road. They thrust approximately 1km into areas under full control of the Palestinian National Authority.

Other units of the Israeli occupation forces moved into the west of the city and established a sand barricade at Jenin-Bourqin road, closing the entrance to Jenin Refugee camp.

Other units of the Israeli occupation forces moved into the east of the city after they had destroyed a roadblock of the Palestinian National Security Forces. They positioned near Al-Sa’dia and Al-Sweitat neighborhoods, while tanks were positioned in Al-Jabriat arae, south of the refugee camp. At approximately 05:30 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned north of Jenin refugee camp, fired live bullets and three artillery shells at a number of Palestinian civilians who gathered near an UNRWA school. Two Palestinian civilians were killed as follows:1)Eyad Suleiman El-Masri, 20, from Jenin refugee camp, killed by shrapnel throughout the body; and2)Ibrahim ‘Ali Fayed, 25, from Jenin refugee camp, killed by shrapnel throughout the body.

At approximately 18:00 local time, a 9-year-old child, ‘Abdel-Hamid Ismail Mahmoud, from Khan Yunis, was wounded in the head by a rubber-coated metal bullet fired by Israeli occupation soldiers.

According to PCHR’s investigations, the child was playing with his friends near their houses in Al-Nemsawi neighborhood adjacent to “Neve Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis. An Israeli military jeep inside the settlement stopped and a soldier fired at the child.

At approximately 03:45 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned on hills north of Tammoun village, east of Jenin, fired five artillery shells at a dormitory of the Palestinian National Security Forces, approximately 900m away.

Nine security men were sleeping in the dormitory. One of them, Fa’eq ‘Abdullah Abu Siam, 30, was killed, and four were injured as follows:1) Raja Salem El-Jallad, 48, from Nablus, seriously injured by shrapnel in the face;2) S’oud Mohammed Saleh Ghannam, 62, from Nablus, injured by shrapnel in the left hand;3) Mohammed S’oud Mohammed Ghannam, 20, from Nablus, injured by shrapnel in the upper part of the body; and4) Ahraf Hassan Abu Nada, 21, from Nablus, injured by shrapnel in the left thigh. At approximately 10:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with tanks and military vehicles thrust 150m into the east of Wadi Al-Heria neighborhood in Hebron. They opened fire from heavy machine guns on Palestinian houses.

Four Palestinians, including three security men were injured as follows:1) Amin Hassan Edris, 28, a civilian, injured by shrapnel throughout the body;2) Shadi Talal Seder, 24, a member of the Preventive Security Service, injured by shrapnel in the left shoulder;3) Nidal Abu Zahra, 25, a policeman, injured by a live bullet in the foot; and4) Amir Mahmoud Abu Tu’eima, 21, a policeman, injured by shrapnel throughout the body. At approximately 13:00 local time, a 14-year-old child, Wa’el Hussein ‘Abdel-‘Aal, from Rafah, was injured by shrapnel in the head, the chest and the left arm when Israeli occupation forces, positioned near Salah El-Din Gate at the border with Egypt, shelled the city.

PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported that the Israeli occupation forces used artillery shells and heavy and medium machine guns to shell Palestinian houses in Block “O” area and at ‘Omar Ben Al-Khattab Street.

In similar circumstances, at approximately 19:00 local time, a 10-year-old child, Ahmed Subhi Abu Toyour, was injured by shrapnel in the head. At approximately 15:15 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in “Tsheva” military site in the northern Jordan Valley, opened fire from heavy, medium and light machine guns on Palestinian houses in Tayaseer village in Toubas.

Fawzi Mahoud El-‘Einabousi, 25, was injured by a live bullet in the shoulder, when he was near his house, approximately 1,500m away from the source of fire. At approximately 20:30 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in the vicinity of “Netzarim” settlement, south of Gaza City, shelled a site of the Palestinian National Security Forces at the coastal road between Gaza City and the southern Gaza Strip, approximately 600m north of the aforementioned settlement.

Later, Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with four tanks and two bulldozers moved towards the site and completely destroyed it. Then, they withdrew from the area. During this operation, Israeli gunboats fired flash bombs into the air. At approximately 21:40 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned at the border east of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire from heavy machine guns on Palestinian areas west of the border.

The gunfire lasted until 23:00 local time, but no casualties were reported. At approximately 21:50 local time, Israeli occupation forces opened fire from heavy machine guns on Palestinian areas in Jabalya adjacent to the eastern border of the Gaza Strip.

No casualties were reported. At approximately 21:55 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in the vicinity of “Dogit” settlement, north of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire from heavy machine guns on nearby Palestinian farms.

Gunfire lasted for approximately one hour, but no casualties were reported. At approximately 22:05 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in a military site south of “Erez” area in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire on a site of the Palestinian National Security Forces, approximately 400m to the south.

No casualties were reported. At midnight, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in the vicinity of “Gadid” and “Neve Dekalim” settlements, west of Khan Yunis, opened fire from heavy and medium machine guns on Palestinian Houses in Al-Nemsawi neighborhood, Baten Al-Samin area and the south and west of Khan Yunis refugee camp.

At approximately 05:00, Israeli occupation forces, positioned near Al-Shuhada’ junction south of Jenin, opened fire from heavy machine guns at nearby Palestinian farms. A Palestinian farmer, ‘Abdel-Fattah Sa’id El-Sheikh, 42, was injured by shrapnel from a heavy caliber bullet in the thighs, while he was guarding greenhouses in the area. At approximately 08:30, Israeli occupation forces, positioned on hills southeast of Jenin, opened fire from heavy machine guns at the office of the joint council of solid waste, while employees were entering. The office was severely damaged, but no casualties were reported. At approximately 10:00, Israeli occupation forces fired artillery shells and heavy, medium and light caliber bullets in the vicinity of Bitounia Cemetery.

A member of the Palestinian National Security Forces, ‘Emad ‘Awadh Qe’dan, 23, was seriously injured by a live bullet in the head while he was bringing food to a nearby site. In addition, five Palestinian civilians, including a woman, were injured as follows:1) Leila Mohammed Abu Saleh, 59, injured by shrapnel throughout the body;2) ‘Omar Hussein Qe’dan, 23, injured by shrapnel in the right shoulder;3) Younis Mohammed Rujbi, 24, injured by shrapnel in the limbs;4) Ra’ed Sa’adat Jarbou’a, 25, injured by shrapnel throughout the body; and5) Eihab Yousef Doula, 21, injured by shrapnel in the face. Furthermore, a number of houses and shops were severely damaged and a civilian car was totally destroyed. At approximately 17:00, Israeli occupation forces, positioned near Salah El-Din Gate at the border with Egypt, shelled ‘Omar Ben El-Khattab Street in Rafah.

Najla’ Mahmoud Abu Lebdeh, 22, was injured by shrapnel in the chest and the face near her house in Block “O” area in Rafah refugee camp, west of the aforementioned street. At approximately 19:00, Israeli occupation forces, positioned inside “Ramat Yishai” settlement at the center of Hebron, fired artillery shells and heavy, medium and light caliber bullets at Palestinian houses in Bab Al-Zawia neighborhood. A Palestinian civilian was killed and four were injured.

Ismail ‘Abdel-Hadi El-Douda, 30, from Halhoul, was driving his car near Al-Madina Al-Munawara market, approximately 700m to the southeast of the location of the Israeli forces. His car was fired at by the Israeli forces and he was instantly killed by several live bullets. In addition, four civilians were injured as follows:1) Asmahan Darwish Abu Rumouz, 20, injured by shrapnel in the right leg;2) ‘Omar ‘Abdel-Hamid El-Ghazawi, 70, injured by shrapnel in the left forearm and the right foot;3) Ra’fat Ahmed Shahin, 9, injured by shrapnel in the left foot; and4) Khadija Mohammed El-Fatafta, 22, injured by shrapnel in the left eye, which was lost. At approximately 22:30, Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with tanks and bulldozers, thrust approximately 1,000m into areas under the full control of the Palestinian National Authority south of Gaza City, while intensively firing heavy and medium caliber bullets.

PCHR’s field officer in Gaza City reported that Israeli forces moved from “Netzarim” settlement, south of Gaza City, and destroyed some houses and civilian and security facilities. Israeli bulldozers also damaged parts of the coastal road connecting Gaza City with the middle area of the Gaza Strip. The Israeli forces withdrew at midnight. The Israeli forces caused the following damage:1) A 200-square-meter, one-story building, which stood on a working area, was demolished. The building belonged to EGDG, a French-Dutch company responsible for the implementation of the Gaza Harbor Project, funded by the European Union. European flags were clearly visible. 2) A wall of a 150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 3 people live, owned by Tamam Salem Mutawe’, was partially demolished.3) A wall of a 150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 10 people live, owned by Suleiman ‘Ali Salam Mutawe’, was partially demolished.4) A wall of a 200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 12 people live, owned by Yasser Ibrahim ‘Ali Mutawe’, was partially demolished.5) Parts of the southern wall of Al-Mahrousa tourist village were demolished.6) A site of the Palestinian National Security Forces was destroyed.7) The coastal road was damaged. Also at approximately 22:30, Israeli forces positioned at the border with Egypt fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses in Block “O” area in Rafah refugee camp. Three houses were severely damaged:1) Four artillery shells and several live bullets hit a 120-square-meter, two-story house, in which three families comprising a total of 18 people, live, owned Hammouda Musallam Abu Saleh. The families had earlier evacuated their furniture in order to leave the house due to the constant posed threat to their lives.2) Three artillery shells hit a 120-square-meter, three-story house in which three families comprising a total of eight people, owned by Tal’at ‘Abed-Rabbu Abu Saleh.3) Two artillery shells hit a 130-square-meter, four-story house, in which three families comprised of 18 people, owned by Ahmed Mohammed Abu Lebdeh.

In the evening, a 15-year-old child was shot and killed by a heavy caliber bullet in the abdomen. According to PCHR’s investigations, the child was shot from a distance of approximately 300m. No clashes were reported in the area at the time. This incident brings the number of Palestinian children under 18 killed by the Israeli occupation forces since the outbreak of Al-Aqsa Intifada on September 29, 2001 to 151.

Of these, 17 children have been killed in Rafah by the Israeli occupation forces in similar circumstances. According to PCHR’s investigations and eyewitnesses’ testimonies, on Saturday, September 8, 2001, at approximately 21:00 local time, a 15-year-old child, Mohammed Samir Abu Lebdeh, from Block “O” in Rafah refugee camp, was on a branch road close to his family’s house, approximately 300m north of the border with Egypt.

Without any clashes having been reported in the area, an Israeli sniper in a military site near Salah El-Din Gate at the border fired a heavy caliber bullet at him, hitting him in the abdomen. The child was immediately evacuated to Al-Joneina (Martyr Abu Yousef Al-Najjar) Hospital in Rafah, where he was soon pronounced dead.

According to medical sources at the hospital, the child a heavy caliber bullet entered the right side of the abdomen and exited the left side, rupturing his internal organs.

At approximately 03:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with five tanks, besieged the area surrounding the factory that had been destroyed on Friday. They put highly explosive materials into the remains of the factory and totally destroyed it. According to eyewitnesses, exploded parts and equipment of the factory scattered over an area 500m in diameter. According to one of the factory’s owners, losses are estimated at more than US$ 1 million. At approximately 16:45 local time, two Israeli combat helicopters attacked the offices of Fatah Movement in Ramallah with rockets. The offices, located in a seven-story housing building, which also includes the offices of Ministry of Environment, was hit by three rockets that completely destroyed it. A flat directly below the office was also damaged.

A Palestinian civilian, Ussama Sadiq, 25, was injured by shrapnel in the hand and the leg, while two other civilians were suffering from shock. The offices had been evacuated shortly before they were attacked. At approximately 21:10 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned at the border, east of Jabalaya in the northern Gaza Strip, fired an artillery shell at Nassim Ahmed Abu ‘Aassi, 24, from Bani Suheila near Khan Yunis, killing him.

According to initial investigations carried out by PCHR, the Israeli occupation forces used excessive force without resorting to less lethal means. Abu ‘Aassi and another young man were trying to enter Israeli territories when Israeli occupation soldiers fired an artillery shell at them. Abu ‘Aassi was instantly killed and his colleague was injured by shrapnel in the chest from another artillery shell fired by an Israeli occupation soldier. He was able to escape.

On Sunday, September 9, 2001, Abu ‘Aassi’s body was handed to the Palestinian side and was transferred to Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza City. According to medical sources, he received shrapnel throughout the body, especially in the abdomen, as he was directly hit by an artillery shell.

At approximately 15:00 local time, dozens of Palestinian young men and children threw stones at Israeli occupation soldiers who besieged a Palestinian electric cable factory, 300m south of Al-Mentar Outlet, east of Gaza City. According to PCHR’s investigations, Israeli soldiers opened fire without resorting to less lethal means. Four Palestinian civilians were wounded as follows:1) Mahmoud Riadh Habib, 18, from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, critically wounded by a live bullet in the head and was evacuated to the intensive care unit at Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza City;2) Mustafa Ahmed Madhi, 18, from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded by a live bullet in the left upper arm;3) ‘Abdel-Qader Khaled El-Harazin, 12, from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded by shrapnel in the left hand; and4) Mahmoud Hmdi Khalifa, 14, from Gaza City, wounded by shrapnel in the left hand. At approximately 16:00 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers, positioned at Al-Tuffah roadblock between Khan Yunis and its Al-Mawasi area, opened fire on Palestinian houses in the west of Khan Yunis refugee camp.

Fatema Mohammed Teilakh, 52, was injured by shrapnel from a live bullet in the left leg, while she was on her way from Khan Yunis back to her house in Al-Mawasi area.

At approximately 14:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with four tanks and two bulldozers moved towards a Palestinian electric cable factory, approximately 300m south of Al-Mentar Outlet and 500m north of a military site of these forces at the entrance of a settlement road, east of Gaza City, leading to the Green Line. Soon, they besieged the factory in an operation that lasted for approximately three hours.

In the morning, the Israeli occupation forces had also shelled the factory, severely damaging it. The 2,200 square-meter, three-story factory, owned by Samih ‘Omar El-Haddad and Nasser ‘Othman Yassin, was one of the most important industrial establishments in the Gaza Strip. In the past ten months, the factory has been subjected to shelling. In November 2000, Israeli bulldozers demolished parts of it and destroyed an electric transmitter. On July 29, 2001, the Israeli occupation forces again partially destroyed it. At approximately 20:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned at the border with Egypt, south of Rafah, shelled a Palestinian residential area in the vicinity of Salah El-Din Gate. Three Palestinian civilians were injured as follows:1) Salman ‘Ali Feseifes, 18, inured by shrapnel throughout the body;2) Ussama Mohammed El-Dam, 22, injured by shrapnel throughout the body; and3) Hamza Ismail Noufal, 51, injured by shrapnel in the abdomen.

A Palestinian Child Killed in Hebron in an Attack by Israeli Occupation Forces and Jewish Settlers

On Friday evening, Khaled ‘Arafat El-Batch, 2½, was killed after he fell from top of his house, while Jewish settlers and Israeli occupation forces were attacking Palestinian civilians and houses in Al-Qazzazin neighborhood in Hebron. In his testimony to the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment (LAW), the child’s sister said: “At approximately 16:30 (local time), a group of Jewsih settlers moved into the old market and started throwing stones at houses in Al-Qazzazin neighborhood, in the presence of Israeli forces. Residents of the neighborhood responded by throwing stones at settlers. Then, Israeli soldiers intervened and fired tear gas at Palestinian houses.

Among the attacking forces were members of the previous South Lebanon Army that was collaborating with Israel. We could identify them as they spoke Lebanese Arabic. Then, these forces raided the houses. A number of my family members were on top of the house. My brother Khaled fell from the roof onto the street.

My bother Ziad, 18, went to help him, but Israeli soldiers prevented and detained him. Later, Khaled was pronounced dead at hospital as a result of a fracture to the skull.”

This week, Israeli occupation forces committed two new assassinations, in which six Palestinians, including a 14-year-old child, were killed, and 11 were injured. On Thursday, September 6, 2001, Israeli occupation forces assassinated

At approximately 12:20 local time, an Israeli combat helicopter fired three rockets at a car, in which the victims were traveling, at the eastern entrance of Tulkarm. The car was hit by two rockets and the two were instantly killed.

The third rocket fell onto the street, wounding Palestinian civilians. Two passengers were able to get out of the car before it was hit. According to Israeli sources, the operation targeted

1) Ra’ed Mohammed El-Karmi, 26, from Tulkarm, who was able to get out of the car before it was hit. He was injured by shrapnel in the left eye. His colleague, 2) Hazem Wa’el Subhi Khattab, 20, was injured by shrapnel in the hands and the legs. Three Palestinian civilians were also injured as follows:

1) Riad Zuhdi El-Masri, 55, from Nablus, injured by shrapnel throughout the body;2) Saher Na’im Hussein El-Zughol, 31, from Tulkarm, injured by shrapnel in the face; and3) Malek Zuhdi Suleiman, 59, from Tulkarm, injured by shrapnel in the face and the abdomen.

At approximately 16:30 local time, Israeli occupation forces fired two surface-to-surface missiles at a site of the Palestinian Presidential Guard (Force 17) in Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip.

The site was severely damaged, and a member of Force 17, Na’im Mohammed Abu ‘Obeid, 35, was slightly injured by shrapnel in the left hand. In addition, Ra’ed Maher El-Kafarneh, 17, from Beit Hanoun, received a fracture in the pelvis after he fell from a tractor he was driving, when he heard the sound of the explosion.

At approximately 21:45 local time, Israeli occupation forces shelled Palestinian residential areas and shops in the middle and south of Hebron. Heavy caliber bullets hit the offices of the ICRC in ‘Al-‘Adel Street. The international agency was forced to close its offices in the city sine die. Additionally, 5 Palestinian civilians were injured:1) Malak Bahjat Shehdeh Qafisha, 3, injured by shrapnel from glass throughout the body;2) Mohammed Haitham Khaled El-Khatib, 13, injured by shrapnel in the right leg;3) Mohammed Jawad Qafisha, 28, injured by shrapnel throughout the body;4) Fayez ‘Abdel-Ghani Khalili, 33, injured by shrapnel throughout the body;5) Hussein Khalil Abu Markhia, 40, injured by shrapnel in the right thigh.

At approximately 23:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces moved into Al-Moghraqa area, south of “Netzarim” settlement, south of Gaza City. Israeli occupation soldiers raided the house of Anwar Mohammed ‘Abdel-‘Azziz ‘Aawadh, 38, and detained him, his wife and their 8 children in one room until the morning of the following day.

In her testimony to PCHR, the wife, Halima ‘Abed-Rabbu El-Sayed ‘Awadh, 42, said that Israeli occupation soldiers mounted the second floor and the roof of the house after they had awaken the family and detained them in one room on the first floor. The Israeli soldiers left the house at 06:00 local time on the following day.

She added that the Israeli soldiers damaged the second floor of the houses. It is worth mentioning that this house has been raided 7 times during the last three months

Israeli occupation forces have continued to attack Palestinian fishermen in the sea, although they sail in areas designated for fishing, apparently in an attempt to deprive them from their source of income. Israeli occupation forces declared the sea a closed military area and forced Palestinian boats to leave it.

In addition, Israeli marine forces fire at Palestinian fishermen and their boats and sometimes they block boats and fishing equipment. In a recent attack on Tuesday, September 4, 2001, Israeli soldiers on a gunboat blocked a fishing boat, owned by Salim Taher Abu El-Sadiq, 76, from Al-Shati refugee camp, when it was 5 miles away from the seashore of Gaza.

Five fishermen were on the boat and Israeli occupation soldiers ordered them to stand at the front of it. Then, they poured large amounts of hot and waste water into the boat. According to a testimony by one of the fishermen, they entered the cabin of the boat to have shelter, but Israeli occupation soldiers poured water on them. Windows of the cabin were broken, and the fishermen received bruises and injuries by shrapnel from glass.

Then, the Israeli gunboat left the area and the fishermen went back to the seashore. They were evacuated to Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza City. They are:1) Khaled Ahmed Abu ‘Amra, 36, from Al-Shati refugee camp, injured in the head, the face and the hands;2) Rashad ‘Abdel-Raziq Baker, 42, from Al-Remal neighborhood in Gaza City, injured in the left hand;3) Eihab Fayez Abu El-Sadiq, 14, from Al-Shati refugee camp, received bruises throughout the body;4) Mohammed Salim El-‘Aamoudi, 40, from Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza City, received bruises throughout the body; and5) Fyez Salim Abu El-Sadiq, 37, from Al-Shati refugee camp, received bruises throughout the body.

At approximately 14:00 local time, an Israeli combat helicopter shelled the headquarters of the Palestinian General Intelligence Service in Doura village, west of Hebron. The building was hit by six rockets, causing partial destruction and burning its furniture. In addition four Palestinians, including two civilians, were injured:1) Ayman Khalil Abu ‘Awadh, 17, civilian, injured by shrapnel throughout the body;2) Mahmoud Ahmed Hassan Abu Farwa, 40, civilian, injured by shrapnel throughout the body;3) Jamil Mahmoud ‘Abdel-Hadi El-Sa’di, 34, injured by shrapnel throughout the body; and4) Ziad ‘Abdel-Rahman El-Qazqi, 30, injured by shrapnel throughout the body. Starting at approximately 17:25 local time, Israeli occupation forces fired artillery shells and heavy, medium and light caliber bullets for more than three hours at Al-Zahed, Al-Sheikh, Bir Al-Hummus, Bab Al-Zawia and ‘Ein Kheir El-Din, and Al-Manara, Al-‘Adel, Wadi Al-Tuffah, Faisal and Al-Shallala streets.

Two Palestinian civilians were killed and 22 were injured. Many houses and shops were also severely damaged. According to investigations carried out by the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment, at approximately 18:00 local time,

1)‘Emad ‘Essam Mahmoud El-Batesh El-Husseini, 17, was on the roof of his family’s house when he was wounded by a medium caliber bullet in the head. The incident coincided with the passage of 2)Amjad Majed Mustafa El-Jamal, 25, in his car by the area. When he heard calls for help coming from El-Husseini house, he hurried to help them evacuate their son to hospital.

He mounted the roof of the house and carried the wounded son down to his car. As soon as he placed the wounded person into the car, he was wounded by a medium caliber bullet in the head. A man from the El-Husseini family then drove the car, taking the wounded to ‘Aalia Hospital. The car was fired while en route to the hospital and its windows broke.

As soon as the car arrived at the hospital, El-Jamal was pronounced dead, while El-Husseini was transferred to Al-Ahli Hospital, where efforts to save his life failed. Furthermore, 22 Palestinian civilians were injured as follows:1) Mohammed Rashed Dhib El-Ja’bari, 33, seriously injured by shrapnel in the chest;2) Mohammed Hamza Badawi El-Haimouni, 55, seriously injured by shrapnel in the head;3) Hussein Salah El-Natsheh, 25, injured by shrapnel in the head;4) Ishaq Nemer Mesbah El-Juneidi, 14, injured by shrapnel in the head;5) Mahdi Majdi El-Ja’bari, 16, injured by shrapnel in the head;6) Fuad ‘Abdel-Jabbar Mohammed El-Qawasmi, 27, injured by shrapnel in the face;7) Mohammed ‘Abdel-Ghani ‘Abdel-‘Azziz El-Hashlamoun, 32, injured by shrapnel in the head;8) Amani Kamel Abu El-Fillat, 24, injured by a live bullet in the right hand;9) Riad ‘Aayed El-Koumi, 28, injured by shrapnel throughout the body;10) ‘Emad ‘Azzam El-Haimouni, 25, injured by shrapnel throughout the body;11) Ghanem Farahat El-Ja’bari, 22, injured by shrapnel in the hand;12) Qassem ‘Abdel-Jabbar El-Qawasmi, 30, injured by shrapnel in the hand;13) Mu’taz ‘Essam ‘Abdel-Ghani Zahdeh, 19, injured by shrapnel in the hand;14) Mohammed Bassem ‘Eissa ‘Aabdin, 40, injured by shrapnel in the legs;15) Bassem Rabi’ Mohammed Ehmeiru, 23, injured by shrapnel in the head;16) Hatem Khalil ‘Eissa Farrah, 72, injured by shrapnel in the shoulder;17) ‘Aamer ‘Abdel-Muhsen El-Qa’oud, 48, injured by shrapnel in the leg;18) Ra’ed Mohammed Hamza El-Hanini, 25, injured by shrapnel in the hand;19) ‘Omran Rateb El-Qa’oud, 48, injured by shrapnel in the leg;20) Ibrahim Mohammed Shehdeh Bader, 42, injured by shrapnel throughout the body;21) ‘Aadel Shaker Qafisha, 47, injured by shrapnel in the leg; and22) Jihad Hashem Salhab, 42, injured by shrapnel in the leg.

At approximately 22:00 local time, Israeli marine forces fired at a number of Palestinian fishing boats opposite to Beit Lahia seashore in the north of the Gaza Strip, but no casualties were reported.

At approximately 03:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned near Salah El-Din Gate at the border with Egypt fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at two Palestinian houses in Rafah, causing the following damage:1) An artillery shell hit a flat on the third floor of a 200-square-meter, three-story house, in which 19 people live, owned by ‘Abdel-Jalil ‘Ali El-Baba. The flat and its furniture were severely damaged. 2) An artillery shell fell onto a 150-square-meter, two-story house, in which six people live, owned by Fatema Ahmed Fayeq El-Khatib. The house was severely damged. At approximately 14:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned on Baten Abu Na’im Mount, west of Bitounia in Ramallah, and in “Ofar” military site, fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses and a roadblock of the Palestinian Presidential Guard (Force 17) in the town. A number of houses were severely damaged.

Two artillery shells fell onto the house of ‘Ezzia ‘Abdullah Jom’a, 65, totally destroying it. Jom’a and her 4-month-old granddaughter miraculously survived. No casualties were reported.

At approximately 01:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with tanks and a bulldozer, moved from military sites in the vicinity of “Gadid” settlement, southwest of Khan Yunis, into Gizan Abu Rashwan area. They penetrated approximately 200m into the area, which is under full control of the Palestinian National Authority.

They destroyed a well established by Khan Yunis Municipality in August 2000. This attack resulted in a shortage of water in the city estimated at 20%. PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported that this incursion coincided with another incursion into Gizan Al-Najjar area by Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with tanks, which came from military sites in the vicinity of “Gan Our” settlement. Israeli occupation soldiers using loudspeakers called residents of the area to leave their houses, and they were forced to leave.

Israeli occupation soldiers left the area one hour later without having demolished any houses.

At approximately 01:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned near Salah El-Din Gate at the border with Egypt fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses in Rafah refugee camp. The shelling continued up to 04:00 local time, and targeted Block “O” area and Yebna neighborhood adjacent to the border. Some artillery shells hit places in Al-Shaboura area, approximately 1,200-1,500m north of the border.

Three artillery shells hit Martyrs Monument in Al-Shaboura area, severely damaging it, and injuring Jihad Yousef ‘Afana, with shrapnel while he was sitting there. An artillery shell hit the fence and water tanks of a 100-square-meter, one-story house, in which three families live, owned by ‘Abdel-Hamid Hussein ‘Eissa Jom’a.

Artillery shells also hit an electric transmitter at ‘Omar Ben El-Khattab Street, cutting electricity from the area. A number of houses in Block “O” area and Yebna refugee camp, were severely damaged and three civilians were injured as follows:1) Ramzi Yousef El-Samhouri, 16, injured by shrapnel in the right forearm;2) Ahmed ‘Abdullah Abu Humeid, 20, injured by shrapnel in the left eye; and3) Salima Suleiman Abu Saleh, 50, injured by shrapnel in the pelvis. At approximately 02:40 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in the vicinity of “Gadid,” “Gan Our” and “Neve Dekalim” settlements, fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at Al-Nemsawi neighborhood, Baten Al-Samin area and the western part of Khan Yunis refugee camp.

The shelling lasted for approximately one hour, during which a number of Palestinian houses were severely damaged, but no casualties were reported. At approximately 04:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in “Tsheva” military site in the northern Jordan Valley, opened fire with heavy and medium machine guns on Tayasser school in Toubas.

Walls, windows, doors and the electricity were severely damaged. At approximately 12:10 local time, two Israeli combat helicopters fired two rockets at a storehouse of the Palestinian National Security Forces in Jericho. The rockets hit the warehouse, but no casualties were reported. At approximately 13:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned near Salah El-Din Gate at the border with Egypt, opened fire from heavy, medium and light machine guns on Palestinian neighborhoods in Rafah, for approximately five hours. Five Palestinian civilians, a woman and four children, were injured as follows:1) Aamena Nasrallah El-Sheikh ‘Eid, 60, injured by a live bullet in the left foot while she was near her house in Al-Joneina neighborhood, approximately 100m away from the source of fire;2) Dalia Nasrallah ‘Aabed, 10, injured by shrapnel in the head while she was in Al-Shaboura area, approximately 1,200-1,500m away from the source of fire;3) Mohammed Ahmed El-Karzoun, 11, injured by shrapnel in the left knee while he was in Al-Brazil neighborhood, approximately 500m away from the source of fire;4) ‘Abdel-‘Aati Sa’id ‘Obeid, 18, injured by shrapnel in the neck while he was in Block “O” area near Salah El-Din Gate; and5) Ahmed ‘Abdel-Karim Hashem, 18, injured by shrapnel in the head while he was in Block “O” area too. They were all evacuated to Al-Joneina Hospital in Rafah. A number of houses were severely damaged. A 180-square-meter, two-story house, in which 19 people live in Al-Shaboura area, owned by Jamal Mohammed Ahmed Ibrahim, received the most severe damage.

It was hit by more than 50 live bullets, although it is approximately 1,500m away from the source of fire. In the afternoon, two Israeli combat helicopters attacked two offices of the Fatah Movement in Ramallah and Al-Bireh, completely destroying them and damaging a number of nearby buildings and civilian facilities.

At approximately 13:10 local time, two Israeli combat helicopters fired two rockets at the office of Fatah in Ramallah, completely destroying it.

Approximately five minutes later, the combat helicopters fired two rockets at the Fatah office in Al-Bireh, totally destroying it.

No casualties were reported since these offices had been evacuated shortly before the attacks took place. Some shops and houses were damaged. At approximately 16:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned inside “Allon Morei” settlement, east of Nablus, shelled a roadblock of the Palestinian National Security Forces at the northern entrance of the city.

It was totally destroyed, but no casualties were reported. At approximately 17:30 local time, two Israeli combat helicopters attacked a Palestinian police station in Qabatya village near Jenin.

Two rockets hit the station and destroyed it and a car of the Palestinian Ministry of Education, but no casualties were reported.

At approximately 01:15 local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned in military sites in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement west of Khan Yunis and near “Gadid” settlement, southwest of the city, opened fire from heavy, medium and light machine guns at Al-Nemsawi neighborhood, west of Khan Yunis refugee camp and Baten Al-Samin area.

Khadra Ahmed Abu Setta, 70, was injured by a live bullet in the chest, while she was inside her house in Baten Al-Samin area, southwest of Khan Yunis. In addition, a number of houses were damaged.

In the evening, under the cover of heavy shelling of Palestinian houses, Israeli occupation forced moved into Wadi Al-Heria and Jabal Al-Rahma neighborhoods in Hebron. Two Palestinian gunmen were killed when confronting the incursion by the Israeli occupation forces into Wadi Al-Heria neighborhood. They were:1) ‘Alla’ Younis Erfa’eya, 22, received 8 live bullets throughout the body; and2)Mohammed Edris Fayez ‘Aashour, 22, received 3 live bullets throughout the body. In his testimony to the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment, an eyewitness said that he saw Israeli occupation soldiers firing at a gunman, killing him after he had been wounded and subuded by them. They had also prevented ambulances from evacuating him to hospital for 30 minutes. This gunman was ‘Alla’ Erfa’eya.

According to the eyewitness, at approximately 23:00 local time, from a window of his house, he saw Israeli occupation soldiers treading on a man lying on the ground before they shot him. Approximately 30 minutes later, Israeli occupation soldiers left the area and people, including the eyewitness, evacuated him in a Palestinian ambulance. In addition, two houses were severely damaged, and two Palestinians were wounded as follows:1) ‘Omar Fahmi Nasser El-Din, 30, wounded by a live bullet in the right leg; and2) Amin Hijazi El-Zaru, 26, wounded by shrapnel in the neck and the left hand.

This week, two mysterious explosions occurred in Gaza and Tulkarm, killing two Palestinians. Palestinian sources accused Israeli security services of planning the two explosions. On Saturday morning, September 1, 2001, a prominent Palestinian security officer of the General Intelligence Service (GIS), Lieutenant Colonel Tayseer Zayed Khattab, 42, from Gaza City, assistant of Head of GIS in the Gaza Strip for training affairs, was killed in an explosion in his car in Gaza City. Palestinian sources accused Israeli security services of being directly involved in the incident. According to investigations by PCHR, at 08:17 local time a white Volkswagen Golf was traveling from Gaza City to the headquarters of the headquarters of GIS north of the city, through Al-Jala’ Street. The car was driven by Lieutenant Colonel Khattab, accompanied by his bodyguard, Ahmed ‘Omar Abu Ghalyoun, 30.

As the car passed 30m beyond Sheikh Radwan-‘Ebad Al-Rahman junction, an explosion occurred in the car. When the car stopped, Abu Ghalyoun, who was injured, jumped out of it. Khattab was seriously injured and evacuated to Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza City, where he was pronounced dead. Palestinian security forces and civil defense arrived at the place of the incident and initiated an investigation. Three passing civilians were also injured:1) ‘Abdel-Karim Mahmoud Abu Hulayel, 28, from Jabalya refugee camp, injured by shrapnel in the feet;2) Mohammed ‘Abdel-Karim Abu Hulayel, 9, from Jabalya refugee camp, injured by shrapnel in the feet; and3) Bassam Rajab Khureis, 23, from Al-Remal neighborhood in Gaza City, injured by shrapnel in the left foot. In the evening, ‘Abir Hamdan Abu Samra, 22, from Nablus, was killed in an explosion that occurred in a taxi, in which she was traveling with some people from Tulkarm to Nablus.

Four occupants of the taxi were also injured. At approximately 19:15 local time, near Bal’a village in Tulkarm, the front seat of the taxi, where Abu Samra was sitting, exploded. Her legs were cut and she died from her injuries. The driver and three occupants were also injured as follows:1) ‘Alla’ ‘Omar Amin Habiba, 22, from Nablus, received injuries and burns;2) Sa’id Jamil Daoud Jawabra, 46, from ‘Assira village near Nablus, received injuries and burns in the face and the chest; 3) ‘Abdel-Nasser Mustafa Hussein Nouri, 36, from Beit Eiba village near Nablus, injured in the face and the hands; and4) Fayeq Mohammed Hassan Mashaqi, 32, from Yassid village, received injuries and burns throughout the body.